PPCTU Mission
Conserve, Protect, Restore cold water fisheries in the Pikes Peak Region

​Goal
Be the most influential conservation organization in the Pikes Peak Region

Greenback Cutthroat at home in Bear Creek

Objective 1

Protect Native Cutthroat Trout: Our primary focus for 2025 is Native Cutthroats in our Pikes Peak Region (including Greenbacks and other species) through ongoing education and the initial introduction, reintroduction and maintenance of Cutthroat trout.

• Create a series of events that can be used to educate the public about the importance of the native trout.
• Advocate protection of Bear Creek and the surrounding environment through outreach and education.
• Work toward the reintroduction of Native Trout into their home waters. This includes identifying potential locals, habitat improvement, installation of fish barriers and monitoring the state of the reintroduced populations.

 
One Year Plan 2025

• Participate in the annual and ongoing reintroduction of thriving populations of all native cutthroats and continue to provide volunteers and resources for Bear Creek, Severy Creek, Ruxton Creek, Herman Gulch, Rock Creek and Black Canyon Creek;
• Monitor and improve Bear Creek, Severy Creek and Ruxton Creek habitat to maintain a stable population of Cutthroat trout and continue our involvement in opportunities including the Jones Park Project;
• Develop the Bear Creek Enhancement Project on stream restoration; write grants for work on the upper part of Bear Creek when opportunities arise; talk to the City of Colorado Springs and El Paso County (CPW) about restricting fishing on Bear Creek;
• Maintain the “Trout on Colorado Avenue” Scavenger Hunt by tracking the art as shops close or change hands; updating the website and Facebook pages; and updating the clue list as venues change;
• Secure two volunteers to monitor the Bear Creek greenback cutthroat trout habitat to improve, protect and increase protect this population;
• Continue our participation in the Bear Creek Round Table and the Greenback Recovery Team groups.

 
Five Year Plan

• Create awareness of PPCTU’s successes in the Pikes Peak region;
• Get 50 members involved in successful greenback restoration in Rock Creek as identified by the Forest Service and others in the Pikes Peak region:
• Complete the Black Canyon Creek Project;
• Recruit volunteers to focus on Bear Creek and other native trout habitats;
• Capture our members’ project information and learnings and apply these to future projects.

The problem! Your help is needed to improve fishing in South Park

Objective 2

Improve and Protect Habitat (conservation versus recreation):  Conserve and improve the cold-water habitats and enhance the fishing opportunities in the Pikes Peak Region, including seeking opportunities to increase and improve angler access.

• Protect current quality habitat.
• Restore poor quality habitat back to its potential.
• Educate the public about healthy ecosystems (stream and riparian habitat) including how it  produces an improved fishery.

 
One Year Plan 2025

• Inventory strategic streams in the Pikes Peak region using the CPW Fishing Atlas to identify small streams;
• Develop the Pikes Peak Watershed Inventory to document current native trout and greenbacks, including a PPCTU member data collection app that ties into a point system;
• Continue to run Badger Basin projects;
• Place Redd signs in the three Dream Stream parking lots;
• Engage with the Forest Service and CUSP about Eleven Mile Canyon improvements; 
• Create an Eleven Mile Canyon Restoration Committee and develop a plan for its work; 
• Create a calendar of regulation cycles; 
• Host presentations by local experts at member meetings; 
• Represent PPCTU’s interests through participation in the Pikes Peak Outdoor Recreation Alliance (PPORA); 
• Advocate for urban fisheries in the planning process for the Fountain Creek Watershed; 
• Collaborate with Gold Hill Mesa to improve fishing habitat.

 
Five Year Plan

• Implement a process for identifying new projects for stream improvements and increased fishing opportunities;
• Create awareness and recognition of PPCTU’s impact on fishing in the Pikes Peak region;
• Monitor and act on regulations.

Objective 3 

Community Engagement: Our focus areas are Education; Public Relations; Membership Development; Volunteer Development; Membership Meetings and Programs; and Financial Development.
 
One Year Plan 2025

• Education
• Partner with CPW events and local schools;
• Create and publish an events calendar.

Public Relations

• Produce videos of PPCTU projects and push to our website and social media;
• Use local media to help promote PPCTU, e.g., Focus on Peak Radar;
• Expand outreach to partner organizations;
• Include Fly Shops in our communications and public relations.

Membership Development

• Track volunteer hours for members and nonmembers/potential members;
• Survey members as desired;
• Increase member engagement through digital channels with fresh content;
• Develop a new member welcome program.

Volunteer Development

• Continue, expand and improve volunteer retention through a recognition program;
• Combine volunteer events with classes.

Membership Meetings and Programs

• Increase member attendance at membership meetings;
• Enhance members’ meeting experiences by linking meeting topics with upcoming activities.

Financial Development

• Determine a strategy for investing the endowment fund;
• Maintain merchandise, raffle and auctions programs;
• Implement an end-of-year financial contribution program;
• Consider applying for a Colorado Healthy Rivers Fund grant.

                                   
Five Year Plan – Maintain, enhance and evolve all programs.

Business Strategies

We agree to apply these business strategies to our annual objectives:

• Survey, review and act on member feedback;
• Make PPCTU relevant to a broader demographic consistent with our mission;
• Hold events and complete projects that are of interest to the general public to include documentation on the PPTU website and Facebook page and through news outlets and publications;
• Have at least 50 active members involved in our various programs each year;
• Establish a system to match our member volunteers to potential projects and make 5 new matches for project leaders;
• Continue/improve the volunteer recognition system for both single and multiple events;
• Create a culture where the membership meetings are for the purpose of generating active involvement;
• Have an effective funding system for both the chapter and the projects; align funding initiatives to specific causes consistent with our two strategic goals;
• Seek grant/funding opportunities for our adopted projects; establish a system of baseline funding activities for the maintenance of the chapter.

Projects for 2025
PPCTU has established strategic partnerships with Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW); National Forest Service; Coalition for the Upper South Platte (CUSP); El Paso County Community Services Department; and Colorado Springs Parks and Recreation and Cultural Services Department to establish projects with impact and facilitate execution of our projects in a timely manner.

Protect Native Trout

• Inventory Watersheds
• Monitor Bear, Severy and Ruxton Creeks
• Grants

Improve Fishing

• Badger Basin – fencing
• Status of leases; public and private land
• Redd Signs at Dream Stream
• Plan or Vision for 11 Mile Trail System
• Wildcat Canyon boundary and potential trail access
• Speakers Bureau – other outreach activities (PowerPoints, etc.)

Outreach

• Survey Template – Membership Survey and Event, Ad Hoc Surveys
• PR Person, technical person
• New Member Packet
• Education
• Volunteer Recognition
• Programming
• Financial Development
  • Go Fund Me – Alternative funding methods
  • Grants
• Increase and Enhance member engagement through Website and Social Media
• Active participation and support of various events:
  • Fly Fishing Film Tour
  • Denver Fly Fishing Show
• Create Volunteer Event Checklist and Procedures
• Establish Data Model for Google Drive
• Monitor Government Affairs
• Create Project Catalog and Event Calendar
• Enhance our messaging
• Dream Stream improvements following CPW reconstruction activities, e.g., planting willows

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